Improvement in perforating stamps



UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

JOHN HOUSTON, OF JERSEY CITY, NEWJERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORATING STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,296, dated February 8, 1876; application filed December 11, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN HOUSTON, of J ersey City, in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Devices for Canceling Postage and other Stamps; and-I do hereby declare the following to be a full and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; Fig. 3, side view of a part detached, and Fig. 4, side view of the key.

As is well known, postage-stamps are usually canceled by stamping them with ink. As this ink can be removed by oxalic acid or other substances, it is claimed that this is often done, that the stamps are then reused, and thus the Government defrauded. To

. guard against such frandulentpractices, I am aware that devices have been invented to cut ing a canceling device, consisting of a single piece of metal with a concave face having a series of needles arranged therein, and with a screw on its end opposite the face for attaching it to the socket.

In constructing this device a suitable handle, A, is made, and to its end is secured a metallic socket, B, provided with an interior screw-thread, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Into this socket is screwed a canceling device, O, made preferably of steel and in the form shown in the drawings. It consists of a single piece of metal with a concaveface, a, provided with key-holes b for the insertion of a key, D, shown in Fig. 4, also with a screw end, 6, for attaching it to or removing it from in Figs. 1 and 2,,which shoulder also prevents the needles from being driven back from the face.

When the parts are in position, in order to use the device it is only necessary to apply it to the inker-pad and then to the stamp, when the latter will be cut and inked at the same time, the ink on the face of the eanceler blot ting the stamp, and that on the needles being carried into the perforations made by them. It is obvious that the needles may be differently arranged, if desired, and also that the canceling device may be removed, and the needles, or any one of them, if broken or injured, may be taken out and others inserted, or another canceler similarly fitted up with remov able needles may be substituted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The stamp-canceling device, consisting of the handle A, socket B, and detachable concave-faced canceler 0, having arranged therein a series of removable cutting or puncturing needles, d, as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN HOUSTON. Witnesses:

ANDW. FOSTER, SAML. 1). HovEY. 

